Add Protective Eyewear to Your Game Face

Whatever sport you play, guarding your eyes is always a winning strategy.

Whether it’s helping you judge a sharp turn down the ski slope or seeing when to hit an oncoming pitch, your eyes are key players in all of your sports activities. But the eyes can also get injured if left unprotected. Nearly all sports pose some type of risk for eye injury. By making the right moves in protecting your eyes, you can significantly lessen your risk of eye injury, and even give yourself a competitive edge by increasing performance. Here are a few tips that can help you keep your eyes protected and well equipped for whatever sports you play:1

Wearing the proper eyewear can greatly reduce your chance of an eye injury.

Baseball—Protect yourself from a wild pitch, thrown bat or pop-fly ball with a face guard made of sturdy plastic and wearing eye guards.

Basketball—Wear eye guards to safeguard yourself from flying elbows, fingers and basketballs.

Soccer—Wearing eye guards helps shield your eyes from wayward elbows, balls or feet.

Football—As a full-contact sport, football dictates that you should wear eye guards and a full face guard to prevent injury.

Hockey—Use a full mask to defend your eyes and face from flying sticks, pucks and players.

Tennis or Racquetball—Eye guards should be worn to guard your eyes from a misjudged ball or flying racquet.

Skiing—Sports lenses are often made of polycarbonate materials, which are the best way to safely shield your eyes from wind, snow, sun and glare.

Swimming—Wear eye guards to help keep lake, ocean and chemically treated pool water from getting in your eyes. In addition, remember to take out your contact lenses before swimming.

Hiking or Camping—Beware of insect bites and poison ivy, oak and sumac. Keep your hands, as well as repellant, away from your eyes.

If you do suffer an eye injury, seek immediate medical attention from an eye care professional, especially if you have pain, blurred vision or loss of vision. Wearing the proper eyewear can greatly reduce your chance of an eye injury. That means you can stay in the game and keep enjoying the sports and activities you love, worry-free.

  1. Prevent Blindness America, “Recommended Sports Eye Protectors,” 2010.